Alexandrov and Yerofeyev were detained by the Ukrainian military on May 16 near the town of Schastye in Ukraine’s Luhansk region, the Ukrainian authorities claimed that they were Russian soldiers

Yevgeny Yerofeyev

KIEV, July 30. /TASS/. Russian citizens Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov who were detained in Ukraine in May have been transferred to a pretrial detention center from the hospital, lawyer Oksana Sokolovskaya told TASS on Thursday.

"I confirm the Russians’ transfer from the hospital to a pretrial detention center," she said. "This time the information is correct, they were indeed transferred [to a detention center]."

Advisor to the Chairman of Security Service of Ukraine Yury Tandit earlier said that the trial of Alexandrov and Yerofeyev was planned for September.

Alexandrov and Yerofeyev were detained by the Ukrainian military on May 16 near the town of Schastye in Ukraine’s Luhansk region. The Ukrainian authorities claimed that the detainees were Russian soldiers. However, the Russian Defense Ministry said on May 18 that "Russian citizens Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev captured by the Security Service of Ukraine in the Luhansk region were not active duty military personnel at the moment of their detention."

On May 22 Kiev's Shevchenko district court arrested the two Russians. The Kiev Court of Appeal ruled on June 10 that they should remain in custody, thereby confirming the ruling of the court of original jurisdiction.